The one with the shattered horn - Cover art by Dansyron on DA
by Vodhr
Summary: Princess Twillight Sparkle and her faithful friends are investigating a mysterious mine. The mine, which is a meteor that fell onto Equestria a millennium ago, filled with crystals. The mine, now abandoned out of fear. Seeking answers, they delve deep into the dark. However... the dark caves hold many a secrets and perils!
1. Chapter 1 - The Crystal Mine

**Introduction: **Hello!

And thank you for clicking here to my story!

Before you read my story, I'd like to take this chance to give a short introduction of what my goal and expectations is with this story.  
First and foremost - without spoiling anything major, this story will heavily focus on an Anthromorphic version of MLP as the story progresses, while still remaining the original pony design in the background.  
Hope that doesn't spoil anything! ;)  
I'd just like to state this now before some of you may be put of by this when the story progress.  
However, I personaly think it will fit into context with what I have planed, and can only ask that you give this first chapter a try - free of anthromorphic creatures - and judge if it's to your liking!

My goal is a bit hard to explain... My main goal is just to have fun writing something to relates to a show which I love!  
While still putting my own twist into it. ;)  
This will also play out as I will not follow the show to the letter - because let's face it, the show have flaws, and have steped on it's own toes more then once. And ruined good setups.  
And in a lot of areas, I much preffer the fanfiction versions of certain charachters and events - Ie. Dittzy *Derpy* Hooves. (:3) Or, keeping Daring Doo a fiction-within-a-fiction cahrachter.  
Also, I may put forward my own background story for certain things - I'll be sure to make the altered background clear in those cases.

Thirdly, and for the moment, finaly - Please, give me as much constructive critizism as possible!  
I love writing, and write other stories on my free time.  
My dream is to one day publish my own original story, or more!  
However, for this, I am aware of a lot of my flaws which I am working on. And I need your help to improve!  
Now, I won't state my know flaws straight out.  
If no one notices them, I know I have improved. :)

ENOUGH CHIT-CHAT!  
PLEASE... ENJOY! :) 

* * *

**The one with the Shattered Horn**

Ch. 1: The crystal mine.

A water pearl rolled down the stalactite and feel to the rock floor, creating a small echo in the cave. The sound made the soft yellow mare yelp and collapse to the ground, folding her front legs over her head and helmet, and forcing her wings to retract swiftly to the sides of her being. "What was that?!" she whimpered in place.

The blue pegasus planted her face in her hooves and groaned before she flew over to the other pegasus and scoffed her up of the ground. "For the last time Fluttershy, it's just water! No monsters, no changelings - just water!"

The pink haired pegasus rose to her feet, albeit slowly and on edge. "I am sorry Rainbow Dash! These dark caves makes me uneasy, and the noise startled me."

A pink fluffy manned pony popped out behind Fluttershy, seemingly out of nowhere and giggled uncontrollably. "Yea! These caves are like uber-duper scary!" she said while bouncing away from the two pegasi. Both of them looked at the pink party-bomb before turning to each other and share a heartily giggle together. Fluttershy's troubled looks diminished and in its place took a calm smile.

"See? No worries, Shy! Just try to keep it cool, like me!"said the rainbow manned pegasus with a confident smile. She then folded her front limbs and hovered over to the source of the sound. The light of her mining helmet illuminated her object of interest. She inspected the rock formation swiftly... before she grew bored of it half a second later. "Although I wouldn't mind a monster right now. I thought exploring these caves would be cool! Like in 'Daring Do and The Caverns of Mystery'!" she said while waving her hoofs in different heroic fighting stances.

A lavender colored mare with wings and horn trotted over to her side."How can you not find this exciting Rainbow?" she said. Extending a hoof towards the rocks. "These stalactites here have been here for hundreds of years, some of them even thousands, depending on their size! They are made from the water that runs down, carrying..." she tried to explain before another pony with a light orange coat came and interrupted her. Her big cowboy hat hanging on her one side since she already wore a mining helmet.

"Ah'm sorry, Twilight, y'all remember we got something to do, right? I'd rather we'all finish up her so we can leave. These caves makes me som'what uneasy myself!" Applejack said, sincerely sorry to interrupt her friend, as she knew how much Twilight loves to both learn and share knowledge.

Taken out of her rhythm, the alicorn realized she was starting to monologue "Ah, yes! You are right, Applejack, we should investigate the mines first." She said and started walking further into the cave, with all other ponies following her lead. "Besides, I can tell you all about this when we get back out." Which earned her a bored sigh from Dashie, which in turn made everyone share a small laugh between themselves.

"Jokes aside, I too can't wait to get out of these caves! This damp air is going to ruin my mane!" said the white, blue manned unicorn. Dressed in the same mining hat as everyone else. Although she was also dressed in a bright yellow safety west which had been redesigned into a more exquisite piece of clothing, while remaining it's practical nature. "So, Twilight, can you please finally tell us what we are doing down here?"

Twilight levitated a book out of her backpack to her field of view, the helmet lighting up the pages for her to read. "I am sorry Rarity, but I am still unsure. But I'll tell you what I do know..." She turned a page where the one page was fully covered by image of a meteor. "It says here that approximately a thousand years ago, a great meteor fell from the sky and landed here. Luckily, it landed in the valley above us, so there were no reports of anyone getting hurt."

"So you are saying we are standing in a crater of a fallen star?" Rainbow questioned with a befuddled look in her face.

"Well... while a meteor isn't really a star... but, yea, that's about it. Of course, these particular tunnels are pony made." Twilight calmly corrected her friend, not feeling the need to go into further details of explanation.

"That... is so AWESOME!" She squealed, creating a sharp echo through the tunnel.

In the distance of the tunnel, a loud rumbling sound was heard, but it quickly died out. Twilight, Applejack and Rarity all froze in place, making sure no further rockslides were occurring. Fluttershy instantly collapsed on the floor with her hooves over her head again, Pinkie just kept bouncing in circles around her.

Raising her hoof over her mouth, Twilight said. "Shhh! Not so loud! We don't want to cause a cave in!"

Dashie hovered in place with her hooves over her mouth, expressing a muffled 'sorry'.

"It'all seem to be clear. We'all better get a move on!" Applejack suggested.

"Agreed!" Said Twilight and continued her trotting while reading. "At any rate, where was I... Ah, yes! The meteor rested her mostly uninterrupted till about a century ago when a expedition set out to research it. Upon exploring the crater, it was found that the meteor was carrying a generous amount of crystals."

Suddenly, Rarity's look seemed a lot more positive. "Crystals, here? What kind of crystals?" She asked, eagerly. "Perhaps something I can use in my latest project..." she mumbled to herself, silent enough for no one to hear.

"Hmm... Well, these crystals seems to range from transparent to semi-transparent. Even the color of the crystals differ, depending on how far into the core of the meteor they are..." Twilight cut her own sentence short and had a look as if she was thinking of something, before she beamed up in a energetic smile. "How fascinating! I wonder if this has got to do with the different temperature in the layers when it landed! *Sqee* I can't wait to study this further!"

"So... uhm, the reason why we are here? If... if you don't mind me asking." Fluttershy whispered while keeping her head low and casting a glance from side to side, searching for danger.

The alicorn turned around, giving her shy friend hasty smile "Sorry, I got carried away!" Clearing her throat, Twilight continued her explanation. "So after the discovery, a mining operation were established here. Shipping crystals all over Equestria."

"Wait, Darling, how come I've never heard of this place before? I am sure I'd be aware of such an elaborate crystal-based operation." The white mare said with confidence in her voice as she quickly glanced at her own cutie-mark of 3 finely cut crystals.

"These crystals have a high resonance towards magic, similar to those in the Crystal Empire. These were used to make magical tools, like crystal balls - rarely, if ever, as accessories." Twilight paused while turning to another page. "Besides, there haven't been any mining activity here for several decades."

"Why's that? They ran out'a crystals to mine?" Applejack questioned. "Still, that doesn't tell why'n tarnation we are in this abandoned mine!" she said, somewhat agitated as the darkness was getting on her nerves.

Twilight halted and turned around to face her friends."I'm sorry I asked you all to come with me here! As a princess, I wanted get the truthful answer to that question too." she said with a sad frown upon her face.

Applejack, feeling a bit sorry about her outburst scratched with the hoof at the rough ground before turning to Twilight with hurtful eyes. "No, no! Ah'm sorry, Twilight! I am letting this cave get to me. I am used to being up in the sunshine, with big open fields. Ah didn't mean to sound so brash! If you think this'ere is important to you, then Ah'm in!" the orange mare exclaimed with pride in her voice.

Twilights demeanor lightened up and she faced her friends with a big smile. "Thank you, Applejack. Thank you all for following me on this! I know the depths can be unsettling, believe me. It reminds me of the time I was trapped by Chrysalis."

"Hah! No sweat! This cave here got nothing but boredom against me!" said Rainbow Dash with a hearty beat to her voice, flexing her muscles.

Everyone shared a laugh before Twilight continued. "But still, thank you all for always being there!"

"Why of course, darling!" Rarity said trotting past the alicorn. "However... You do owe us a banquet at the castle for this." she said with a coy smile on her face.

Twilight giggled. "Yes, I am sure we can arrange that!" and they continued their exploration.

Applejack walked up to the side of Twilight. "So tell us, why'd they stop mining if they got a good thing going?"

Magically resuming the position of the book for her to read, Twilight took to word. "I am not sure, it happened so suddenly. The workers all decided they didn't want to go down here anymore, they claimed this place was haunted."

With the mention of the word 'haunted' they all heard a thud behind them.  
As they all turned around and saw Fluttershy - her eyes wide as saucers with an empty glare of realization, while the helmet just slid of her head and into the rocky ground with a clank. Her body frozen, as if she was petrified in midflight and fell to the ground, her wings pointing straight to their respective sides, her legs locked in a walking motion. She was even wobbling back and worth as a real statue which had been disturbed, and risked falling over on its own unbalanced construction.

Luckily, Rainbow was quick to intervene before the yellow mare fell forward face first. "Get it together, Shy! It's just rumors, there is no way there can be ghosts here! It's only to scare little fillies!" She said to the other pegasus with no reaction. "Hey guys, I think we broke her!" She said as she waved her hoof in front of Fluttershy with not so much as a blink, just the eerie stare of nothingness.

Pinkie Pie walked around her and studied Fluttershy's stationary body. She then preceded with planting her face towards Shy's and stared her deep into the eyes with a menacing look. Deeper, deeper, deeper, all the time more and more threatening... Until she just suddenly turned around with her normal smile and said "Nope, it's not the Fluttershy-stare!" nonchalantly.

"Well, what in Celestias name do we do now? We can't very well leave her here!" Rarity wondered out loud.

Applejack trotted over to the blue pegasus. "Hey, dash, give me a 'oof here will'ya!"  
With a might heave, they lifted the mare up and place her over their backs, sharing her weight between the two sturdy ponies. "There. Solved it! Shall we?"

Twilight stifled a laugh with her hoof. "Don't worry guys, I can carry her!" she said and closed her eyes. Instantly a swirling, violet colored energy enveloped her horn, then the entirety of Fluttershy, she used her magic effortlessly position the poor soul a little bit to the right, so she could keep a look at her. "Now, let us continue."

They proceeded in relative silence for several minutes, with only the occasional water drops and hoof steps to break the silence. They walked in the shadow, RD first, as the adventurous soul that she is. She didn't admit it, but even though she genuinely do believe there are no ghost, the mere though got her excited for some action, even if a little... cautious. Twilight were right behind her, showing her excellent multitasking of levitating a book, a pony and still walk with ease while reading, a sign that she have done a similar task before. The rest of the group just walking on and paying nothing particular in mind.

As they walked, the tunnel walls just suddenly disappeared, and the sound from their steps seemed to echo a lot more now, meaning they were in a much, much larger area right now. "The tunnel seems to just end here..." RD said, hesitantly if that was a good or a bad thing.

Raising her head from the pages of her book and looking around with her mining help. She could see a few glistering reflections, but sadly the helmet didn't provide enough light to tell anything concrete about the room they were in. Still "Ah, excellent! That means the book were indeed correct - we are here!" using her magic, she lowered the still unconscious pegasus. Her body having recovered from her petrified state, now hanging loose as if the pegasus were just lost in a pleasant nap as her body floated in a bed of magic. "AJ, do you mind...?"

Without letting her friend finish her sentence; "I got 'er, partner!" said Applejack. On her command, Twilight gently placed Fluttershy upon AJ's back. "There, there! I got you!" She whispered into the pegasus's ear. Softly brushing a few stray strands of her mane away from her face.

"Everybody, shield your eyes, I am going to use my magic to light up this entire room!" Twilight said with a stern face.

"Hey, wait!" Rainbow Dash Objected and took her helmet of, waving it in the air.

"Why'd we wear these stupid things if you could just use your magic to light things up?"

"To protect your head of course! Although..." Twilight paused with the edge of her lips curling into a smile. "If the book is right, this will be 'some view', and I wanted to give you girls the full experience."

Not really sure she buy the whole talk about 'some view', she still landed on the ground and covered her eyes.  
AJ placed her hat over Fluttershy's head. Other than that she and Rarity followed Dashies example. Pinkie brought forth a weird pair glasses with black lenses, which she placed over her eyes. Where were she keeping them even...

"You guys ready?" Twilight said more as a statement, then a question. She covered her eyes and started to focus on the spell. Soon, a bright light erupted from her horn, so strong it seeped past everyone's protection of their eyes, it even startled Fluttershy out of her unconsciousness. The Light dimmed down to the point where it was no longer blinding.

Fluttershy groaned as if she recently woke up after a night's sleep. The light leaving bright spots on her very eyes. She rubbed her eyes trying to regain her vision. While still adjusting her eyes, she removed AJ's hat and tiredly inspected her surroundings. She saw her friends around her, peeking forth past the light spots and dark after images. All of the ponies, the two earth ponies, the pegasus, the unicorn and the alicorn, all stood slack jawed with their head tilted backwards, looking up. 'What's the matter?' she questions herself in her head, to dazed to properly puzzle things together.

Noticing Fluttershy rustling about on her back, Applejack turned her head to meet hear friends face. "Hey there partner! 'Bout time you woke up!"

Confused, Fluttershy spoke, "Oh... ah... ehum, wh-what happened? Did ah... Did I fall... asleep?" she said, trying to grasp the situation. Rubbing her eyes to get rid of the last of the weird light spots in her eyes.

"Never mind that! Look!" AJ said and raised her, pointing upwards. The pegasus followed her motion with a questioned look and gazed up into the ceiling of the cave. Her breath taken from her by sheer amazement.

The ceiling was filled with crystals, starting from white and transparent from around the area the tunnel ended, and the further in, the deeper the colors got.  
The Bright pure light reflected from the transparent crystals, to the colored ones at the back of the cave. For some reason though, did the crystal not just go from transparent to one individual color. They still went from white to color, depending on how far in they were, but from side to side, the colors ran wild, like a color palette across the entire cave. The colors ran from red, to orange, to yellow, to green, to torques before the full circle was cut short, and disappeared into the ground. That was as far as the miner had come.

"It's... so beautiful! Simply dazzling!" Rarity said with almost a tear to her eyes, taken by the underground rainbow above her. "I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like this!"

Fluttershy stared with her mouth wide open as she slowly slid of off AJ. "I never imagined something like... this down here..."

"Me neither!" Applejack said. Her face bejeweled with a big bright smile, gazing from one side to the other of the room, taking in the sight from the cavern. Which only moments ago seemed void of any colors or life, but right now seemed to overflow with such spirit! "Ah 'ave to admit, Twilly. This was mighty worth that gosh darn walk down 'ere!" she said and nudged Twilight in her side with one of her front hoofs.

Twilight meet Applejacks remark with a chuckle. Resuming to tilt her head up and observe the crystal decorated roof above, she couldn't stop the onslaught of questions rising in her head as to how, why, where this all came from. But those questions quickly drowned in the simple amazement of this display. Turning her head left and right to explore all what the cavern had to offer. The light emanating from her horn followed her movement, and the moving light reflected in the crystals, casting dancing, multi-colored light all around them.

"Oooooh! Sparkeling-ly!" Pinkie said in awe and excitement = Awement!

"Hey! Take a look at this." Said the blue pegasus and flew further into the room and hovered there above the ground.

The ground, in contrast to the roof, were hard, cold and dark, even more so then normal rock. There were a few crystals that stuck up and out, here and there, across the cavern floor. A couple of blue, purple and so on, most likely the ones they were trying to extract before they stopped mining.

"About that ' mining operation'..." Dash continued, gesturing around her.  
The entire cave floor were littered in all matters of mining tools. Pickaxes, spades, mining hats, hammers, lanterns, drills and what not! It all lay on the cavern floor as if they had just been dropped there before their wielders decided to hastily make their leave.

The blue pegasus picked up a pickaxe with her hooves with a somewhat serious look. "I don't know about you guys, but whoever worked here sure got out in a hurry!"

"Are you saying they... r-ra-ra-ra-an from the g-gh-ghosts...?" Fluttershy said and curled up into a small ball of fur on the ground.

"That would be the correct assumption, if we take into consideration of what this book says." Twilight said factually. She turned around and lowered her body to be right next to Fluttershy's "But in all probability, this may just all have been an elaborate prank played by a couple of bored miner, which then got out of hand."

The little yellow pegasus shaking seemed to ease, and she brushed her mane off of her face to reveal one of her big green eyes. "You-you really think so, Twilight?"

"I am certain of it!" She said and meet Fluttershy with an encouraging smile. "There are no ghosts!"

"Certainly, darling!" The white unicorn agreed. While she didn't say it, she was also eased by twilights words. "Why, the only ghosts here are those in our minds. It makes us believe things which are not there." Rarity said, continuously feeling more at ease with the logic in their words.

"Exactly, Rarity! I am sure this is all just a matter of superstition we are dealing with here." Twilight said and raised herself to a standing. "I promise you, Fluttershy, nothing is going to happen. Look here..." Twilight trailed of, using her magic to open up the satchel on the opposite side from the one which held her book.  
Out of the satchel floated six very familiar pieces of jewelry. Five necklaces and a crown.

"The Elements of Harmony..." Fluttershy stated when she saw the items, each with a likeness to each of their respective cutie-marks.  
"That's right. I brought the along just to be safe." Twilight said and levitated the four necklaces to their respective pony as they all raised their heads to ease Twilights' task;  
The jewelry in the shape of balloons to Pinkie Pie, the Element of Laughter. *Click*  
The necklace with apples to Apple jack, the Element of Honesty. *Click*  
The one with crystals to Rarity, the Element of Generosity. *Click*  
The one bearing a cloud with a rainbow colored lightning bolt to Rainbow Dash, the Element of Loyalty. *Click*  
For herself, Twilight donned her crown with a pattern of stars on her violet mane, the Element of magic.

"With the Elements of Harmony, we have nothing to fear. So what do you say, Fluttershy?" She continued and offered the yellow mare a hoof and with the same comforting smile.

Fluttershy looked hastily at the ground, seemingly ponder on the probability of what her friends just said. Choosing to believe it, she slowly un-curled and took Twilights hoof with her own and let her be helped up. "Umm... Okay, Twilight. If... if you say so!" She said and mustered a forced smile to give her friends, as well as herself, reassurance that she can do this!

The yellow pegasus raised her head and allowed Twilight to put on her element.  
The necklace with butterflies to Fluttershy, the Element of Kindness. *Click*  
She glanced down at the element adoring her neck, then proceeded with placing herself next to Twilight.

"Alright! Come one everyone! Let's show this ghost what we are made of!"

"Ah'm right besides you, partner!" AJ said with a grin as the both of them took the lead deeper into the meteor, followed by Twilight, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. In the furthest back, Rarity.

As soon as Rarity was about to leave the room, she heard something from behind her, and saw a weak flashing light in the corner of her eye.  
Quickly turning to face what she thought she saw, she was instead met with nothing.

A cold shiver went from her neck, down her back, all the way out to her tail. She shook her head, once left, once right. Took a reassuring breath. "Now calm down, Rarity! There is no need to get jumpy. It was probably just an echo and light reflecting of this helmet." She murmured to herself before she turned back and followed her friends.

End Ch. 1


	2. Chapter 2 - Web of light

Chapter 2 - here we go! 

* * *

The one of a broken horn

Ch. 2: Web of light.

The six ponies had just left the entrance chamber of the meteor. Applejacks and Rainbow Dashes advancing trot had turned down to a slow walk as their adventurous spirits were replaced by awe. Thus, the mane six walked together in a tight group, still with Rarity in the furthest back.

Rarity threw back a glance towards the previous chamber with a chilling feeling in her hoofies. Upon seeing nothing, upon hearing nothing she turned right back with a small smile on her lip. _  
[Ah, silly Rarity, you! Getting so fidgety by a little noise. At this rate I will become as much of a scaredy cat as Flutters...] _Rarity thought to herself when suddenly her ears perked at a muffled sound behind her. The sound of... laugher?

Quickly, the refined pony threw up her front legs and twisted about in a pirouette. Turning her around to face the other way of the tunnel. Nothing! There was nothing there.  
Reluctantly she turned around, keeping her gaze from the direction they had come from. [_Really now! This is becoming quite un-lady like of you, Rarity!] _She chided herself.

Again, her ears perked. This time from the other way. "Rarity?" she heard somepony ask.

Swiftly turning around, spotting the pony and gasping for air to only a second later scream out! Luckily before she could release her built up scream, a hoof quickly covered her mouth. "Sweet Celestia, Rarity! Do ya' want this 'ere cave to come down on us!?" Applejack whispered with a serious tone to her voice.

"I-I..." Quickly breathing in and out, the white unicorn caught her breath. "I am terribly sorry, Dear! I seem to have gotten a bit jumpy." She embarrassingly admitted. "I could just swear that... I heard... laughter?"

"Laughter?" AJ asked, reaffirming she heard right. Leaning past Rarity to watch down the tunnel behind her before returning her gaze to meet her friend. "Look 'ere, Rarity, I kno' this cave is messi'n with ya' mind." The yellow-manned earth pony raised a hoof to cover one side of her mouth. "An' between you an' me... Ah'm seeing manticores in ever gosh darn corner 'ere!"

While Rarity understood her friends intentions for to make her feel better, she couldn't help but feel belittled. "Listen here, Applejack, I am not some little scared filly who need..." She paused only to see the orange coated pony's eyes wide open, staring. "...why are you looking at me like that?"

AJ's answer came in the form of a hoof pointing past Rarity.

Turning around, the blue manned unicorn saw as the crystals along the wall slowly lit up in a pattern moving towards them. The hallways filling with a faint sound of whispers. To faint, and to distorted by other sounds to make out what's being said. Her mouth fell agape. The temptation to scream out so near, yet she contain enough composure to remain silent.

The earth pony yanked Rarity with her, away from the lights. "Com' on, girl! Time ta' move!" Rarity didn't protest and joined at her friends side in a gallop down the tunnel. Towards where the rest of their friends were.

They quickly pasted one turn, and then another before - *BAAM!*

The blue pegasus quickly picked herself up and brushed of the cave dust, her helmet having fallen off.  
She looked at her friends who just ran straight into her face as she was coming to check up on them. They seemed to collect themselves rather quickly as well. "Okay, what's the big id-"

"Be quiet an' run!" AJ whispered sharply and pushed at Dashie with one hoof, while the other massaged her nose.

"Wow! Calm down there, AJ! What's the matter?!" She asked. Before her ears perked at a sound. "Do you guys hear that...?" Meanwhile, the light was getting closer. RD could see the flickering light approaching with the whispers getting louder.

"JUST RUN, GOSH DARN IT!" The earth pony barked and pushed the pegasus with both front hooves. For obvious reasons didn't Dashie feel the need to question her friends any longer.

The three ponies, one unicorn, one pegasus, one earth pony moved as fast as they could, gaining distance from... whatever it was that was following them!

They all rounded the corner and saw Twilight in the end of the tunnel, with Fluttershy still at her side.  
The alicorn had turned to them, noticing the sound of their gallop. Her eyes were filled with concern and wonder for their rush.

The three friends skidded to a halt right in front of Twilight. They were now in another carved out room. Smaller than the previous one.  
There were no other exit or entrance, only the tunnel they came from - and the evidence of a previous continuation of the tunnel that appears to have collapsed.  
They were so far into the meteor right now that this room was filled with crystals so dark they seemed almost black.

"Girls, what's the matter?!" Twilight quickly asked with great urgency.

"Twilight... we.. *gasp*... we *hack*" The unicorn tried to explain, unable to. Her eyes becoming rather dizzy and dark due to the lack of air. Fear had rendered her forgetful to ignore the simple notion to breathe during their mad dash. She fell to her knees. RD taking her side in the blink of an eye.

Taking in only one swift breath, AJ spoke; "There..*hah* there's somethin' coming our way!" She said, turning around to see if they were still followed. She didn't see anything... yet!

The butter-yellow pegasus next to Twilight hunkered down and hid under her friend.  
Twilight looked at the end of the tunnel. "What is it? Diamond dogs?" the purple alicorn asked, hazarding a guess.

"No!" Rarity stated and got back on her legs, albeit wobbly. "Something strange we couldn't see. The crystals light up and there is this strange..." she said before the tunnel started to dance with the approaching light. And the sound pouring into the room. "It's here!" She said with fear in her voice. She slowly backed away from the doorway to the tunnel till she was standing slightly behind Twilights right side.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash took the same action and positioned themselves right night to Twilight. Both giving as menacingly looks as they could muster right now.  
Fluttershy looked past Twilights front legs and rapidly return to curling up like a little ball, whimpering.  
Twilight put her front hooves more forward and raised her head high, ready to cast any spell she might need.  
Pinkie Pie had stopped bouncing behind Twilight. She gazed down towards the light with a eerie seriousness that rarely you'd see from Pinkie.

They were ready, or as ready they could be. For they didn't yet know what it was they were dealing with.

The light was getting closer, and the whispers was getting louder.  
The light moved through the crystals like a glowing spider web. Passing unseen trough the cave, till it came in contact with the crystals where it's presence illuminated the cave. The threads moved in the roof, the walls and the floor of the tunnel, as could be seen.

All of the ponies held their breaths for the approaching entity.

As the glow advanced, it's light kept changing, passing trough darker and darker crystals the further it got.  
The whispers was morphing to. From a untangleable murmur it had, the sound became pleading, mourning, desperate!

The changes only became more and more disturbing for the band of ponies. Adding to their already escalated horror. They felt their presence being pushed back, and with it, they slowly started inching away from the opening.

The light was right at the doorway now. It didn't come any closer.  
The preciously combined whispers now resembled more of a dragons hostile growl.  
It's glowing threads having turned from a eerie, but warm, light into something abnormal. Glowing with what appeared as 'dark' light. But that couldn't be possible! Could it?

The ponies stood completely motionless for what seemed like an eternity. Sweat was starting to build on each and every one of them. Dashie, AJ and Twilight were all gritting their teeth together. Dashie lip, quivering a little, like that of a dogs.

Shadowy spider webbing reaching around the doorways crystals. But for whatever reason, the threads quickly retreated back and seemed unable to progress any further. The mass of light seemed to heave left, right, upwards to pass further. But whatever forced that stopped it progress stood strong.

The entity slowly went back the way it came from.  
Then suddenly dashing forward, entering and enveloping the doorways crystals in a sickly light, expressing a soundly roar. It appeared to have shattered any barrier that once held it!

Twilights horn started beaming with energy, ready to propel the 'thing'!

Before any spell were cast, the sound suddenly seized, and the light hastily faltered back from the tunnel it had come from.

Still completely motionless, the ponies erratic breaths could clearly be heard. Their breaths were hasty, and shallow. Their adrenaline was pumping into their bodies with a intensity they had never experienced. Yet they remained motionless.  
Soon, their bodies was starting to lose up, not out of will but out of the lack to keep still. Their limbs were starting to tingle and shake profusely from the mental strain they had just endured.

"Is... *sss* Is it gone?!" Twilight hissed trough her clenched teeth.

"I-I am not sure!" Rarity answered. "I... I think it is." She blinked, noticing water running down her face. She raised her hoofed and wiped her eyes. Tears had been starting to flow. For Celestias sake, she hadn't even been this afraid when the Diamond dogs kidnapped her!

The orange pony gulped. "Thank tha' stars Twilight!" she said as her head fell forward, dropping her helmet. "What ever tha' hay ya' did, seem'd to fend it off."

"I didn't do anything at all!" Twilight explained. "I didn't get a spell off before it disappeared." Twilight inspected the cave. Glancing all over to see if she could spot anything to aid them in their lack of knowledge. Yet all she saw were all the same deeply dark colored crystals.

"T-then... then wha-what was it t-th-tha-that scared i-i-it away..? Fluttershy stuttered. Peeking out from under Twilight.

"Release..." a weak voice echoed in the cave with its source originating from behind the group.

Everyponys head swiftly raised straight up with their ears perked. Altogether they turned slowly around towards the sound. "...me.." the voice continued.  
In the dark crystals behind them, they saw a hand in the crystal Furless, non-scaly and with five fingers.  
The hand was pressed with its palm against the confines of the crystal from the inside. It's wrist gradually disappearing into dark mist.

The ponies screamed out for all their worth! They emptied their lungs from air as their overwhelming fright finally gave away! Their screams were brief, yet very loud.  
They threw themselves away from the crystal. Stumbling on each other, the group feel on the hard floor.  
When they looked back at the crystals, the limb was gone.

That one brief scream kept echoing in the cave as it kept gaining strength! Increasing in volume, the sound of their screams distorted. Rising to what resembled more of a powerful roar, shaking the very air.

Small rocks fell from the roof. The stone cracking under the efforts of the trying to keep itself intact.

The sound finally seemed to die out. The ponies all held their own mouths muzzled in a frozen state of fear. After a few seconds of silence, they breathed out, thinking the danger had been avoided.

Sadly, they were mistaken, as they realized when they all heard the subtle sound of something cracking.  
A moment later, a huge boulder fell from the roof which landed in front of the passage they had just come from. Forcing the rest to collapse on itself.

Upon its landing, the boulder gave away the sound of rock meeting rock in a monumental proportion, and the entire cave was shaken by its impact. Cracks was forming all over the roof above them as well as the walls holding it up. All the while, small and medium sized rocks and crystals fell from the gapes that was forming between the bigger boulders.

Panic taking it's sudden grip on the ponies as they all scattered, some of them trying to seek shelter. Some stuck in their place, unable to move by the impending realization of what to come next. Rainbow flew through the shower of rocks, dodging them with her trademark agility until she reached the previously blocked of exit. She desperately tried to make her way past it.

Applejack ran to the boulder that was blocking the path they had come from. Doing an impressive mid-run turn, she delivered a kick to the boulder with all her might, and with the extra force generated by her sprint.  
Even with a lifetime of bucking trees, her hooves meet the solid object with naught but a jolting pain in her rear-limbs as its only effect.

Rarity and Pinkie Pie held each other dearly and stared at the roof with gripping fear in their hearts, not seeing any way to escape the current situation.

Twilight sat on her flank with Fluttershy tightly in her embrace. Her head lowered, and her wings embracing, to cover as much of the frightened pegasus as much as she could. Fluttershy in her turn were clinging to Twilight with all her might, hiding her face in her fur. Tears forming in her eyes.

The noise of a exceptionally long-lasting series of cracks drew Twilights attention to the roof.

Her mind, racing. Going through each and every book she have ever read in her life, trying to find that one thing that could save her and her friends!

After each book she closed in her mind, she screamed to herself "No!" as she failed to find the answer.

All the while, bigger and bigger pieces of debris fell from the roof.

Each book flickered before her faster and faster, and for each book she continued to shout out in her mind; _[No! No! No!]_

A big rock loosened from the roof right above Rarity and Pinkie. They looked up as they saw the rock descending upon them.  
They made an effort to separate and move out of the way. Although they got caught up in each other flailing to move out of the way.  
A multi-colored streak darted towards them. "GET DOWN!" RD yelled as she extended her front hooves, grabbing a hold of her two friends - pushing them both out of harm's way.  
The three ponies landed roughly besides Twilight before the rock collided with the ground. Throwing sharp flying parts of rock all around it.

Twilight witnessing her friends almost passing right before her eyes, returned to her concentration.  
The building, primal fear within her, blurring her memories even further and only added to her frustration and desperation of finding the solution. _[No! No! No-no-no-nononononon!]_ Her magic starting to cloak her entire being.  
Twilight herself gained height, being lifted from the raw energy that took a hold of her. Along with Fluttershy who was still clinging to Twilight for her dear life.  
Any small rocks that fell atop twilight started to slow down, or avert to the sides.

Looking up, Twilight briefly saw the rifts growing in the roof, forming around a huge crystal.

For what first looked like a stare of fear, suddenly turned into a menacing scowl. An animal being hunted, and suddenly turning to face it's predator. "No..." Escaped her clenching teethes.  
Closing her eyes, she focused.  
Light, escaping between her tightly closed eyelids.

Moments later, too much instability eventually gave up and let a enormous boulder fall, with the rest of the roof caving in behind it.

"NO!" She screamed out with a voice that was her own, but there was also something else, something powerful and pure.  
Her eyes opening instantly to reveal them completely illuminated in pure light. From her wings, her feathers were given seemingly a life of their own, creating long, glowing tendrils of magic with the same color as her coat.

Instantly, the tendrils shoot out towards her friends, and wrapped around them. Before anyone of them could hope to react to exactly what was happening, they were pulled closer to Twilight.  
While her friends were pulled towards her, Twilight extended the aura surrounding her - expanding it outwards.  
The final tendril wrapped around the leg AJ had used to kick in the rocks with. Not given a chance to protest, she was whipped towards the center of the room where Twilight were positioned. They all landed roughly at the ground beneath Twilight as she floated above them with Fluttershy still in her clutches.

As soon as they were all gathered in one spot, an electrical like surge emanated from Twilights very core. The pulse went through her entire being and outwards in a shock of magic. The lavender colored aura passed her friends by without even moving a hair on their heads, but the wave forced all rocks away from them.

The instance the cloak of magic had enveloped them all, it instantly morphed from its fluent mass to a rigid form, taking the shape of a fine cut diamonds structure. Strong, endless, unbreakable!

It barley even took a couple of milliseconds after the magic had solidified when the huge boulder impacted on top of Twilights magical creation.  
The force of the confrontation sent cracks trough the magical barrier and the floor beneath them.

For a second, it seemed as if the barrier was holding.  
The second after, a web of cracks was forming in the cave floor under the magical construct.

The barrier was forced down through the floor itself by the sheer force from above!  
It fell trough into a new chasm.

The hole they came trough was instantly sealed up with boulders.

For a second, the barrier fell free in perfect darkness. Before the deafening sound rang trough everyone's ears as the barrier meet the floor. Shattering the magical construct.

End Ch. 2


End file.
